A road traffic accident is a terrifying prospect for many people, and those who have been involved in one tend to suffer long after the incident. Despite long-term suffering being unavoidable, if you know what steps to follow after the accident, you will be better able to cope. The purpose of this post is to explain a few key actions that you must take to both protect your health and to ensure that you can recover costs from those at fault.
How To Recover Costs If The Other Side Is Uninsured
Before going into detail about the immediate steps you should take, it is worth mentioning that you might need to involve a lawyer if the culpable party was uninsured or if your injuries are particularly egregious. When this occurs, a personal injury attorney, especially one who has experience with motor vehicle accidents, can help you significantly. The legal professionals at https://www.dsslaw.com/ suggest that skilled auto accident attorneys should help you gather all necessary documentation to enable you to receive justice. In addition, they might also be able to speak with your medical insurer on your behalf, which can take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Actions You Should Take After A Road Traffic Accident
Now that your mind is at ease about receiving costs and expenses, the most vital aspects to consider are your health and passengers traveling with you.
Ensure Everyone’s Safety
Once the initial shock of the accident has abated, you must take immediate action to check that you and any other passengers are safe. While you don’t have the time or ability to examine the incident in-depth, you should assess the severity to make a judgment call.
Get To A Safe Location
If you and your passengers can move without duress, you should exit your vehicle and move to a safe location away from oncoming traffic. If you or any party cannot move or are experiencing pain, they should be left in the car until paramedics arrive. In this case, you might want to do something to warn other traffic.
Call 911
You should call the emergency services as soon as possible and inform them what has happened. This is something you must do regardless of how severe the accident is. Even if you only suffered a minor collision, you will need to get an official report to provide to your insurer and attorney at a later date.
Exchange Information
Once everyone is safely away from danger, and the appropriate authorities have been contacted, you can begin to speak with the other party. At this stage, you shouldn’t take about whose fault it was and remember that most accidents are just that, an accident. This means that attempting to start an argument over who is to blame is counterproductive and could even ruin your chances of a successful trial later on. Nevertheless, you must obtain as much information about them as possible, including their contact and insurance details. You should also provide yours to make everything square and orderly.
Get An Official Accident Report
As soon as the authorities arrive, they will look over the scene and see what happened. The paramedic team will tend to any injuries that might have occurred, and the police will scour the scene for clues about the accident. You should always be forthright and upfront when answering any questions, as this will aid your case when you finally want to recover costs. The police and paramedics will issue you with an official accident report which you can provide to your insurance company.
Contact An Attorney
As alluded to earlier, there might be some cases in which you should consult an attorney who can assist you in regaining lost income. In some cases, auto insurers may only pay for medical treatments, which could still leave you out of pocket for time off work. When this happens, you will need to speak with an experienced lawyer about the next steps.
Start The Claims Process
Once you have received your initial consultation, you should be ready to begin the process of claiming damages. At this stage, you should have already made detailed notes of your medical expenses, travel costs, and lost income which you can present to the court. Once the trial begins, your lawyer will fight in your corner to get you the compensation you deserve.
You should know that after an accident, it can be hard to think clearly. However, if you take the time to reflect on the steps above, you will give yourself the best chance to recover after an accident. Remember that taking care of yourself is your priority, and it will help you more quickly recover.
